1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method to create faded designs in selected areas of fabric, such as cut pieces of denim used to make a pair of jeans.
2. The Prior Art
Denim pants or jeans were “born” in the United States and have attracted a large following throughout the world. Such garments are part of American culture and have become an American icon. Jeans especially washed or faded jeans, reflect the diligent lifestyle of the American people and in particular Western Cowboy Culture. All kinds of washed or faded jeans have become part of that culture.
A well-known example of a method used to create a “faded look” in denim garments is the famous “stone wash” process disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,740,213 to Ricci which issued in 1988. Subsequently, many wash methods for different faded looks have been developed.
Currently, methods to create special fade marks in garments are considered key developments in the jean industry. One special fade method is to put the jeans on specially-made tools with in-and-out lines to make jeans pleats. Bleach or fade chemicals are then applied onto those pleats to create fade marks. Another major method is to create pleats by hand and then apply bleach or fade chemicals on those pleats. These methods are expensive, labor-intensive, and require expensive tools with special in-and-out lines. One article in Women's Wear Daily (Oct. 9, 2003) notes that some particularly complicated washes for high-end products can cost $16 to $24 per pair of jeans to execute, primarily because of the amount of hand-sanding required.
Another fade method is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,739 to Montesano. This method inserts an object or a die beneath fabric or into a pocket of the garment and then sandblasts that area. Although this method may be effective to create a naturally faded look on the specified area, the faded look created by this method is very rough. This method is unable to create a sophisticated faded look with special designs, shapes, forms and colors on the specified area. This method also is unable to create faded or pleated lines with curves and pleats. The trace of the object under the fabric, moreover, is inaccurate and unstable during sandblasting. Thus, this fade process is hard to control precisely due to the high pressure of the sandblasting process. The cost of this method is also high at the current time, and requires a large amount of labor time and high electric power to complete the fade process.
Another popular method is to use pinned tucks or tacks to create faded marks on specific areas of jeans. However, the pinned tucks are too weak to stand up during the wash or fade processing and are always pushed down or twisted. After washing, the faded marks appear uneven along the pinned tucks or tacks, usually with one side lighter than another side, which gives an unnatural appearance. The pinned tacks are also too thin and are unable to create larger faded shapes like naturally worn “vintage” marks.
Accordingly, a need exists to overcome the above problems and inconvenience and provide a simple and less expensive way to create “faded look” jeans that has more flexibility in creating aged marks on specific areas of garments, such as a pair of jeans, jackets and skirts.